Cultures Of Morrowind: The Ashlanders

By Miles Sextius

In addition to the Great Houses, Morrowind is home to a number of reclusive, nomadic 'Ashlander' tribes.

These travelling groups of Dunmer have an ancient set of primitive traditions stretching back thousands of years, and a lifestyle very different from that of their more civilised kin. There are many different Ashlander groups, but the largest are the Urshilaku, Zainab, Erabinimsun and Ahemmusa tribes.

These tribes live in tents called 'yurts'. These are made up of animal hides stretched tightly over a chitin frame. This allows for easy portability, as the frame can be folded easily when dismantling the yurts. For longer-term encampments, heavier materials such as wood may be used instead of chitin to support the tents.

The interior of a yurt is decorated with patterned rugs draped across the walls. These provide decoration as well as extra insulation. The ground inside is cleared and kept tidy. A strange practice, seeing as the ground is already made of dirt. The homes of the clan's warrior-chief- The Ashkhan- and the Gulakhan (the next in line) are situated together under a roof of hide, decorated with wind chimes, alongside other high-ranking members, with the other tents in a cluster in front of these.

Tribesmen eat mainly simple food. Mashed vegetables are common. As are rice based soups, such as the 'velothi' cabbage soup the Zainab tribesmen let me try. However, Ashlander cooking is defined by the herbs and spices used to give the food its distinctive flavour. Bittergreen, ginger and local chillies are all common flavours, and make dishes such as Ashland Nix-Hound Chili just as fiery as the land these mer live in.

Much of the food, however, tastes unmistakably 'earthy'. To my surprise, many Ashlanders will use the very ash they live in to season their food! Don't let that put you off though- some of these foods are fantastic.

The Ashlanders have long held an ancient set of spiritual traditions, including ancestor worship and the reverence of the Daedric princes Mephala, Boethiah and Azura. Since the fall of ALMSIVI, the temple has adopted these beliefs, albeit with a more refined approach. Despite this, most Ashlanders still stay separate from the common Dunmer; preferring to keep to their traditional lifestyle. Many Dark Elves have recently even started to visit the Wise-Women of the tribes for prophecies and wisdom, now that they share similar beliefs.

This Niche of Dunmeri civilization is just as fascinating as that of the Great Houses. Any adventurous visitors to Vvardenfell should give one of the camps a visit. See what they have to trade, or to say. Maybe even get a prophecy read.